This locomotive – a 7mm scale model of a British Rail Class 26/1 – is the result of a perfect storm.
First, attending this year’s Great British Train Show in April put me in the UK frame of mind.
Second, my friend Stephen Gardiner – with whom I’d stayed during the show – handed off a couple of books to me. These were from a combined order for books from the Scottish Diesel & Electric Group and included titles on Class 26 and Class 37 models. (Stephen is also an Enabler.)
Then, the day after I arrived home, I received a marketing email from Rails of Sheffield advertising 47% off the price of brand new Heljan Class 26 diesels.
I ask you: How could I resist?
I consulted my new book to choose a number. Based on various factors, I opted to order a Class 26/1 fitted with “Inverness lighting” – the two headlights mounted on each end. I’d give it the number 26035 because I had good pictures of that unit – including photos of it fitted with snowplows, which I think finish these locomotives quite nicely.
Once the Heljan model arrived I inspected what came in the box, then acquired what I would need to finish the project. This included an order to DC Kits for a Loksound V5 XL decoder loaded with a Legomanbiffo Class 26 sound package… decals (the model came un-numbered) from Railtec Transfers… and a crew from Modelu.
It took more than two months for everything to come together – and I was determined to only open up the model once, so I had to bide my time. But once all the pieces arrived, the work went quickly.
Heljan models are brutes. They have a die-cast frame so they’re very heavy, and twin motors with giant flywheels so they run smoothly and really convey the mass of a full size locomotive.
This Class 26/1 also came with a dizzying array of lighting effects. There is a lot of wiring under the hood – but it’s a pretty straightforward task to pop the model’s analogue board and swap in the DCC decoder. I had to wire up the two speakers supplied, and find a place to stick them to the shell with double-sided foam tape.
I also painted and installed the crew at this time.
I then buttoned up the model, applied the road numbers, and weathered it.
I’m very pleased with how this turned out, and I’m happily running it back and forth on my workshop test track.
Barring any more 47% off sales, I think I now have a full roster of British Rail blue. As I design my 7mm layout, I am considering how to era swap – and given that my other subject in this scale is the Great Western Railway in the Edwardian Era, that’s going to be quite the challenge. But I have ideas on that and it’s worth exploring, because both eras definitely need their turn in the spotlight.
The Model Railway Show 